Patsch nets pair in late-night Whalers win

Rich Gregory

Updated 12:28 am, Saturday, November 22, 2014

DANBURY -- The fans who stuck around saw a heck of a win by the Danbury Whalers late Friday night.

Ryan Patsch scored two goals as the Whalers crushed the Steel City Warriors 6-1 in a Federal Hockey League game delayed nearly two hours because of the Warriors travel complications. The Warriors didn't arrive at the Danbury Arena until nearly 9 p.m. for a game that was scheduled to begin at 7:35.

"They ran into some travel delays, and then they hit some traffic in Pennsylvania," Whalers CEO and Managing General Partner Herm Sorcher said before the game. "The best thing I can say is it was poor planning, but we have the best fans in the world and we tried to give them information to help their game experience. Anyone who is here, we're trying to accommodate them and keep them as entertained as we can. It's just a part of Class-A hockey sometimes."

Patsch put the Whalers on the board first, burying the rebound of a shot by Tim Richter on a breakaway with 5:41 to go in the first period.

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The Whalers added three goals in the second period to break the game open. Brett Liscomb made it 2-0 at 2:17 of the second period, tucking home a loose puck from the side of the net. Patsch struck again a little more than three minutes later, converting on a breakaway after Richter won a battle for the puck along the boards at the Whalers blue line. Mike Zannella made it 4-0 with 7:01 remaining in the second period, going top-shelf from the left faceoff circle.

Kevin Hoy earned the victory in goal with 36 saves. Tom Tracy spoiled his shutout with a goal at 3:05 of the third period, but Ian DeLong and Vladyslav Gavrik answered for the Whalers later in the third.

Whalers coach Phil Esposito was issued a two-game suspension by the league on Nov. 17, so he was not behind the Whalers' bench Friday night. John Krupinsky and Nick Niedert called the shots in his absence.

Sorcher said anyone who had tickets to Friday's game and couldn't stay to watch it would be compensated.

"We have the highest level of customer service, so if somebody had to leave, they have a young kid or whatever and they couldn't stay, we'll credit you for another game," he said.

During the delay, Sorcher rewarded the fans who stayed with prizes, including free chicken wings and discounted oil changes. By the time the puck dropped at about 9:20 p.m., a crowd of about a thousand fans had filed in.